I'm sorry. I've seen all of the Star Wars movies, but it's easy to get distracted from looking at the side stories when you've got guys like Darth Maul running around with a double edged lightsabre and slicing people up.
Was it that guy in the dark robe? Wasn't that same guy on the Death Star when Luke blew it up? Who is that guy anyway? Who's got more authority, him or darth Vader?
The Emperor sounds a lot more familiar.. If he's head bad guy, how come he doesn't have a larger role? Is it like one of those Lord of the Rings deal where even though Sauron is the head bad guy, he's practically non-existent in the books/movie?
The Emperor sounds a lot more familiar.. If he's head bad guy, how come he doesn't have a larger role? Is it like one of those Lord of the Rings deal where even though Sauron is the head bad guy, he's practically non-existent in the books/movie?
It's a slow maniuplation then a massive reveal and takeover when his army wins. He controls both sides, creates a war in order to gain power with a takeover when one side is victorious.
Basically he's going to do a Viedt and not talk about it until he's actually done it and has control, unlike say in James Bond movies.
The Emperor sounds a lot more familiar.. If he's head bad guy, how come he doesn't have a larger role? Is it like one of those Lord of the Rings deal where even though Sauron is the head bad guy, he's practically non-existent in the books/movie?
Actually, he's manipulating everything behind the scenes. So while he's not actually out there killing people, he has people doing the dirty work for him, while he uses his mind to manipulate the Senate to give him more power, but to also manipulate the Seperatists in sending the droid army in Naboo for a small war....but he does this again with the Clone Army in Episode II and the Droid Army to start the Clone Wars...it was always about getting ALL the power from the Senate, and now he has it.....so do you think he's going to give it up? Well if Episodes IV - VI are any indication, no....I believe in Episode III he's going to declare himself Emperor and then begin the clensing of the Jedi, and getting rid of the Senate.
Why does everyone always refer to Vader and the Emperor as villains? Just think of how difficult it is to try ruling a galaxy of thousands or more planets. I thought they were doing a relatively decent job. If a few pesky rebels got in the way, that was their fault.
Okay all the political manglings of the PT:
Menace: Palpatine, as Sidious, uses the Trade Federation to set up a blockade on Naboo, his own home planet. His plan being that as Senator Palpatine, he can convince the Senate that there's a threat on Naboo, and that the current Chancellor is corrupt and too wrapped up in the bureaucracy of the Senate to be effective. Using Padme, he tells her to move for a Vote of No Confidence in order to take down Chancellor Valorum, and move himself into that position. Unexpectedly though, Padme goes back and WINS against the Trade Federation droid army. Where Palps planned to go from there had this not happened is anybody's guess, but it wasn't really a big deal; Palps won out in the end and got into the Chancellor position.
Clones: The Separatists are rebelling against the Republic, believing that it doesn't function anymore. They're being led by Count Dooku, a Jedi who left the order. However, Sidious is once again telling Dooku what to do, in essence Sidious created the first Rebellion, led by Dooku (aka Tyrannus.) As his public Chancellor persona, he manipulated Jar-Jar into giving him emergency power once they "discover" that Dooku's amassing an army on Geonosis. He uses the Clone Army which is conveniently at his disposal to fight the Rebellion whic he created.
So in short:
Menace: Palps controls both sides, uses the Trade Federation, but it doesn't necessarily go to plan since Padme goes back, gets the Gungans and beats the army. But he's still Chancellor, so it's okay.
Clones: Everything went to plan; the Clone Wars started, and the Separatists are just being used by Dooku and Sidious to fight the Republic Army.
Sith:
AFAIK, everything continues to go to plan, He disposes of the Separatists, kills Dooku, calls himself the Emperor, and gets Anakin to be his personal manslave.
they've been extinct for a thousand years according to the Jedi Council.
All they did was plan they their attack acting as if dead, but they were very much alive. thus = Phantom Menace.
I'd say the Phantom Menace is the trade federation. I.e They're not a real threat, they're a distraction away from the threat of the sith. The Republic government via directives of Palpatine uses a false threat(Phantom menace) of the separatists as guise for pushing through all kinds of stuff that would never normally happen. Palpatine uses the Phantom Menace to remove the previous chancellor and make himself chancellor. He then uses the threat to get more power and create a massive army. He also uses the threat to exert influence over the Jedi and Anakin in specific.
It'd be like a president using the threat of gays and terrorism to push through crazy laws, enact tax cuts and finance a war to enchance his buddies' portfolios.
Phantom
n.
1.
1. Something apparently seen, heard, or sensed, but having no physical reality; a ghost or an apparition.
2. Something elusive or delusive.
2. An image that appears only in the mind; an illusion.
3. Something dreaded or despised.
adj.
1. Resembling, characteristic of, or being a phantom; illusive.
2. Fictitious; nonexistent: phantom employees on the payroll.
Sorry, but the Trade Federation is anything but a phantom menace. It's the obvious, visible and direct threat through the majority of the movie, except for Darth Maul. Only the audience knows about the presence of Darth Sidious. It's pretty clear that the phantom menace is the resurgence of the Sith.
You know, when you think about it, the Empire wasnt such a bad thing. Yeah ok they blew up a planet without even thinking twice about it, but it was to show that they meant business and couldnt get fucked with by rebels.
I mean, the rebels were fighting for what exactly? Freedom from the empire? It's not like the Empire was oppressing people all that much. They destroyed the jedi orders, but thats it.
They just wanted power. Its not like the Emperor wanted to destroy the universe or smth
I mean, the rebels were fighting for what exactly? Freedom from the empire? It's not like the Empire was oppressing people all that much. They destroyed the jedi orders, but thats it.
They just wanted power. Its not like the Emperor wanted to destroy the universe or smth
Except that the Emperor had a known dislike for non humans, apparent in how he
made the Wookies into slaves, would kidnap certain scientists and have them build ships of destruction on pain of if they did not, their village would be completely destroyed, etc etc
There was no slavery under the Old Republic. If you are referring to Tattoine, it's in the outer rim which isn't part of the Republic. Hence there is no law and order and even Jedi don't walk around with their sabers showing cause it would be an invitaion for every Tom, Dick and Fett to try and make a name for themselves by popping off one.
The Emperor sounds a lot more familiar.. If he's head bad guy, how come he doesn't have a larger role? Is it like one of those Lord of the Rings deal where even though Sauron is the head bad guy, he's practically non-existent in the books/movie?
Maybe you should look up the word "phantom".
[\QUOTE]
Doesn't that 'definition' still apply for the Trade Federation? They look like the enemy at face value, but with closer and careful examination (that nobody in the Republic was qualified to make until Ep.3/it's too late), you find it's all a ruse or "illusion," and Palp is the mastermind/menace.
I always looked at the Ep.1 title the same way Drensch did.
Doesn't that 'definition' still apply for the Trade Federation? They look like the enemy at face value, but with closer and careful examination (that nobody in the Republic was qualified to make until Ep.3/it's too late), you find it's all a ruse or "illusion," and Palp is the mastermind/menace.
No. Just because there was someone even higher up than the Trade Federation doesn't mean the TF still wasn't an enemy. It wasn't a ruse or illusion at all. The invasion of Naboo actually occurred. The Trade Federation wasn't "illusive" at all.
It's pretty damned obvious who the phantom menace was if you paid even remote attention to the movie. Only the audience sees Darth Sidious. Darth Maul makes short, unexplained appearances to the Jedi. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and the other Jedi all sense something "elusive". Hell, it's spelled out that it's not the Trade Federation from the very first scene.
Obi-Wan: I have a bad feeling about this.
Qui-Gon Jinn: I don't sense anything.
Obi-Wan: It's not about the mission, Master. It's something... elsewhere. Elusive.
Qui-Gon also speaks later about sensing that there is more to the situation than meets the eye, another blatant statement about who or what the phantom menace is. I won't even go into Mace Windu and Yoda's discussion of the Sith at the end where the camera pans to Palpatine and ominous music is played.
So the Trade Fed was going to invade Naboo wether Sidious was involved or not? If so, then I can understand how the title can't be interpreted in at least two ways.
Maybe you should look up the word "phantom".
[\QUOTE]
Doesn't that 'definition' still apply for the Trade Federation? They look like the enemy at face value, but with closer and careful examination (that nobody in the Republic was qualified to make until Ep.3/it's too late), you find it's all a ruse or "illusion," and Palp is the mastermind/menace.
I always looked at the Ep.1 title the same way Drensch did.
So the Trade Fed was going to invade Naboo wether Sidious was involved or not? If so, then I can understand how the title can't be interpreted in at least two ways.
That's unknown and irrelevant. The fact is the word "phantom" can only be applied to the Trade Federation in one segment of the definition, that it is "dreaded". That aspect and every other piece of the definition can however be applied to Sidious and the Sith and their relation to the story. Period. I find it really baffling that anyone actually watched the movie and came away with thinking the title wasn't referring to Sidious and/or the Sith. It's spelled out numerous times.
You know, for all the eye rolling that occurred when Lucas announced the full name of Episode I, it's actually a really good title.
I think what makes it so great is that it can be interpreted many ways. The Phantom Menace could be the Sith, Palpatine/Sidious, Anakin, Darth Maul, or (I suppose...maybe) the Trade Federation. It just depends on your point of view.
The real Phantom Menace, however, is Jar Jar Binks. After all, who expected this seemingly innocent, clumsy outcast to be the one sitting in the Senate in Episode II turning control of everything over to Palpatine? And for those who would argue that Jar Jar isn't a "phantom," I'd say that he fits dictionary definition 3 up there.
You know, for all the eye rolling that occurred when Lucas announced the full name of Episode I, it's actually a really good title.
I think what makes it so great is that it can be interpreted many ways. The Phantom Menace could be the Sith, Palpatine/Sidious, Anakin, Darth Maul, or (I suppose...maybe) the Trade Federation. It just depends on your point of view.
The real Phantom Menace, however, is Jar Jar Binks. After all, who expected this seemingly innocent, clumsy outcast to be the one sitting in the Senate in Episode II turning control of everything over to Palpatine? And for those who would argue that Jar Jar isn't a "phantom," I'd say that he fits dictionary definition 3 up there.
Who's bashing? Am I wrong? Had Amidala not taken the day off from the Senate that day, I doubt she would have as readily turned the entire government over to Palpy. Like it or not, a wacky Gungan triggered the downfall of the Republic.
My interpretation was that the Phantom Menace was Storm Trooper No.12. Sure, there were no storm troopers in Episode1, but that's the Phantom bit of it. The menace bit is because storm troopers wear white uniforms, whereas Vader wears black. Running with this logic, white is opposite to black, and menace is opposite to not-menace. Hence my theory. I hope you all have lost 15% of your intelligence reading this
